The D’Tigress of Nigeria received a heroes’ welcome at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday, August 4, following their historic triumph at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket in Côte d’Ivoire.

The win came courtesy of a 78–64 victory over Mali in a tense final at the packed Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, which marked their fifth consecutive championship win and an extension of their unbeaten run to 29 games in the AfroBasket since they embarked on the run in 2015.

Aside being the only African nation to have won the title for five consecutive years, the win also takes the D’Tigress’ titles to seven overall, behind only Senegal with 11 titles. Meanwhile, it also secures Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany, though participating at the World Cup qualifying series is still required of the African champions.

The scale of their victory and the fashion in which they ironed it out couldn’t possibly escape a national celebration, especially when the federal government has controversially found their stride in rewarding athletic excellence. Like the Super Falcons’ national rewards following their 10th record-extending Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title last month, the D’Tigress players were also awarded $100,000 each, with the 11-man Rena Wakama-led coaching crew allotted $50,000 apiece. Additionally, the presidency also conferred on the team the prestigious national honour of Officer of the Order of Nigeria, plus a three-bedroom flat at the Renewed Hope Estate in Abuja. 

President Bola Tinubu, represented by First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, hosted the D’Tigress at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja on Monday. 

“Beyond being ambassadors of our nation and symbols of excellence, you have reminded us all of the power of sports to unite a diverse nation,” President Tinubu’s remarks, delivered by VP Shettima, read. “Your victory is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together. You have brought home not just a trophy, but valuable lessons for all Nigerians.”

Beyond the rewards and encomium from the federal government, private institutions and some state governments are still likely to follow suit, especially after Zenith Bank’s 200 million naira donation to the team.

The rewards are timely, if not overdue, considering the D’Tigress’ consistent excellence in recent years.

The D’Tigress were one of Nigeria’s surest title prospects in 2025, and they delivered. But the triumph wasn’t without the usual hurdles that plague Nigerian sides. The African champions had barely regrouped following their exit at the Paris Games last year. The AfroBasket Women tournament was the first time they were together in about a year, and though they emerged victorious, the signs of other sides closing the gap were visible, much like it was with the Super Falcons. 

One major force behind the team’s resilience is Wakama, the 32-year-old head coach, who has been one of the few good things to have happened to Nigerian sports in recent years. Just about a year into her appointment as the first female head coach of D’Tigress, Wakama won Afrobasket in 2023 and has again defended the title in what would go down as one of the most consistent reigns in modern African basketball. Wakama and her Tigress have shown they belong at the top, but how much higher they could rise, especially on the global stage, depends on whether even a fraction of the post-victory attention is channelled into more sustainable pre-tournament support and structures.